Device for the squeezing and disposal of teabags

ABSTRACT

The invention is intended to solve the problem of squeezing and recycling of individual tea bags after their use, to enhance the aesthetic component of the process, as well as to be used as an advertising, information medium. In its original static state, the device has an elongated shape, presumably of a rectangular flat plate. After the device is folded in half, i.e. after the completion of its operation cycle, it acquires a different shape, presumably of a triangular, with four legs (the number is optional), fixing it to a surface, for example, a table. The used bag will be located inside the device, on any of its planes. Due to its low cost, a one-time and widespread use of the device is foreseen.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a national phase application of international patent applicationtitled “Device for The Squeezing and Disposal Of Teabags”, applicationnumber PCT/BY2016/000003, filed in the National Center IntellectualProperty Office (Belarus) on May 19, 2016. The specifications of theabove referenced patent application is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a kitchen appliance, an everyday item, that is usedeverywhere. It can be either disposable or reusable, depending on thematerial it is made of. The device is intended for squeezing andrecycling individual tea bags provided with threads, after their use intea preparation. The invention can be put to use universally, whereverit may be required during the use of individual tea bags. Moreover, anyor both of the interested parties are free to use the device to placeany and all kind of advertising information of any content and context,including expressions, signs, symbols by means of applying any image oneither side of the device by any conventional method, using any kind ofmaterials.

BACKGROUND

A device for squeezing tea bags, in the form of a spoon covered with“hatchings” to place a thread in them, allowing to hold a tea bag up inthe air after its immersion in the fluid for further draining of anyliquid residues (see. German Patent No. DE 10224597, class AG 19/16,21/04, published 2003 Jan. 16). However, this device has a significantdisadvantage, in particular the low degree of liquid removal and doesnot offer any options to increase the aesthetic component of theprocess.

Another device, a utility model, is intended for individual squeezing oftea bags provided with threads after their immersion in the liquid. Thedevice is combined with a tea bag by means of a thread placed inside atea bag, allowing for teabag squeezing by increasing the thread tension(see. Annex 1 to the description of the utility model on tea bagpackaging produced by “TETLEY” company). The disadvantage of this deviceis the low degree of liquid removal, due to the impossibility to applyenough force because of the high probability of thread breakage andrupture of the bag itself.

The closest technical solution to the claimed one, accepted as theclosest analogue (prototype) of the utility model, is a device forsqueezing tea bags (see. Utility Model RF 38559, publ. Oct. 7, 2004),designed in the form of a plate with a tea bag, provided with adjustablesides and a slot in the center of the device (the narrow axis of itsbend), made mostly by casting or cutting, using the suitable equipment,mainly of transparent or translucent food grade plastic. After use, thedevice is positioned in a special way, with a teabag thread placed inthe slot. Then force is applied, and the opposite sides are bent to oneanother, in one direction (foreseen in advance). The teabag ispositioned between them and even greater force is applied to squeeze it,removing the excess fluid. The operation cycle is complete.

The disadvantage of this device is the high cost of manufacturing andmaterials used, as well as the lack of any technical solutions forfurther use of the device after teabag squeezing and final disposal. Inthe description of the utility model, attached to the certificate number38559, the author proposes to return the device in its originalposition, or leave it in a partially bent position. However, neither ofthe options resolves the issue for final disposal of the tea bag whilemaintaining the aesthetic component of the process, and thus, islogically incomplete. In both of the above-mentioned options, the directcontact with the tea bag is required, before finally disposing it intothe nearest bin, destroying all the progress made in the aesthetic partof teabag recycling. In fact, the device was originally designed toavoid direct contact with the tea bag and facilitate the process ofsqueezing, liquid removal and disposal. Moreover, in both cases, it isevident that the device will be reused, after a tea bag removal.However, in compliance with hygiene standards, in order to be reused, itshould be cleaned, for example, washed together with dishes, usingcleaning products, which brings about further inconvenience andunjustified additional efforts in relation to the result (tea bagsqueezing).

There is also the third and the last option—to throw away the devicetogether with a tea bag in order to avoid direct contact with the teabag and preserve the aesthetic component of the process, which seemswasteful and costly in relation to the result (tea bag squeezing), whilethe device was manufactured to help solve these problems.

Thus, the device does not fully meet the requirements for tea bagdisposal after its squeezing, since the number of device usages isundefined. No options for using the device after bag squeezing have beenoffered. Similarly, the conditions for its reuse have not beendescribed. Also, the device is expensive to manufacture in relation tothe progress made (tea bag squeezing) and in comparison with the newproposed model.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is intended to: eliminate the drawbacks of theutility model (its closest analogue)—the prototype, including by solvingthe task of the full cycle of teabag squeezing and recycling. Theproposed device does not require direct contact with the tea bag, afterits squeezing and further disposal (for instance, in a trash bin). It isequally aimed at enhancing the aesthetic aspect of the process in thefull cycle of squeezing and recycling, as well as at significantcost-cutting to a degree of manufacturing expediency in relation to theprogress made (squeezing and removal of tea bags). The device is suitedfor general use and is disposable, allowing to attract the interestedparties to accommodate any information on its sides by any of the knownmethods and materials.

Thus, the proposed invention solves the problems of full-cycle teabagsqueezing and recycling, including that of cost-cutting, as compared toits analogue product (prototype), to the extent of the widespread use ofthe device (similar to the use of cocktail straws).

This is achieved due to the fact that, in comparison with its analogproduct, in addition to the sides with a slot at its center (directly incontact with the tea bag), the device has a bottom, which can be of anygeometrical shape, forming at its end a closed figure with a bag placedinside. Furthermore, the device is equipped with legs on which it isfixed, allowing the device bottom not to touch the surface it is placedon, such as a table. At the same time, to throw the used tea bag in atrash bin, additional contact with the bag is unnecessary, since thedevice, due to its low price, can be utilized together with the bag.

The low cost is achieved due to the fact that the device is mainly madeof paper, coated with any kind of laminating film, conventionally usedin food industry, or other known materials and methods that meet therequirements for product efficiency. Lamination is required to preventwetting of the device and burns, as well as to achieve the effect of aspring. However, this spring effect may be achieved by any other knownmethods, using other suitable materials. The lamination of the end partof the device is optional, depending on the intentions of the interestedparties.

In conclusion, the device is made of paper or any other suitablematerial, whose type and quality are determined by the client, but theminimum requirements shall be met to maintain the device performance Asingle-sided or double-sided lamination of the device is foreseen, inparticular, the lamination of its flat sides (the first or secondlamination are determined by the client). The lamination is required toprevent the wetting of paper parts, to provide the device with a springeffect, and to prevent the burns during use, but any other conventionalmaterials and methods can be used to achieve the same effects. It isworth mentioning, that end faces of the device are laminated optionally.The decision is made by the interested parties and, if necessary, theprocedure can be performed, using any other suitable methods andconventional materials.

The device consists of materials in direct contact with the bag, thedevice bottom—by which means a closed triangular-shaped item is formedwith a teabag inside, as well as of four support legs (the number isoptional), attaching the device to any surface, such as a table, afterthe completion of the squeezing and recycling cycle. The device bottomwill not touch the surface where it is placed. The novelty is the factthat in addition to the device design in rectangular or any other shape,an elongated plate has a slot at its center or off-center, relative tothe long sides of the device, which can be of any geometrical shape—onthe left or on the right side, extending half or less than half thewidth of the device and forming the line of its folding in halves. Inaddition, it has four legs and a bottom, shaped in any way. Afterfolding the device in half, the bottom by means of the teabag thread ispushed into special slots and fixed/locked there. So the tea bag isfixed inside the device with no risk of falling out, and at the sametime a closed figure on four or more legs is aesthetically pleasing (forinstance, triangular in shape), which is the final act of the operatingcycle. The invention is intended for squeezing and recycling ofindividual tea bags after their use and meant to enhance the aestheticcomponent of the process. At the same time, it can be used as anadvertising and information medium in a static state before its use,when the tea is served or independently, as well as after its use, whenit has formed a closed triangular shape on four legs placed, forexample, on a table. During the entire cycle of its use, in addition toits direct functions (teabag squeezing and recycling), the device isable to provide information of any content, placed on its body,available for reading for both its users and people around them, havingdirect eye contact with the device during a tea-party or otheractivities.

The device for squeezing and recycling of tea bags is manufactured inseveral stages: initially, by preparing a paper part of the device. Theinformation of any kind developed by any interested person is applied onboth sides of the paper part of the device, using any method and anymaterial, followed by double-sided lamination. The paper of any type andformat is specifically prepared for this purpose. The process ofcutting, using a printing equipment (a printing stamp) or any othersuitable equipment, immediately follows this stage. If the device ismanufactured from materials not allowing for cutting, any otherconventional methods and equipment may be applied at the discretion ofthe customer. The persons concerned are free to choose any suitablemethods, equipment and materials for the device manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of a teabag squeezing andrecycling device in its original form and in static condition.

FIG. 2 illustrates a left side view of the teabag squeezing andrecycling device.

FIG. 3 illustrates the teabag squeezing and recycling device beingfolded at a creasing located at a center of the teabag squeezing andrecycling device.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom of the teabag squeezing and recycling devicebeing folded away from legs located adjacent to the bottom of the teabagsqueezing and recycling device.

FIG. 5 illustrates insertion of a holding thread of a tea bag in a slotlocated in the center of the teabag squeezing and recycling device.

FIG. 6 illustrates pressing the teabag squeezing and recycling devicefrom top towards the tea bag so that the teabag squeezing and recyclingdevice is supported on the tea bag.

FIG. 7 illustrates pressing the teabag squeezing and recycling deviceagainst the top of the tea bag and holding the tea bag with a thread, aswell as holding the teabag in place between two contacting sides of theteabag squeezing and recycling device.

FIG. 8 illustrates squeezing the tea bag between the two contactingsides of the teabag squeezing and recycling device.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrates passing the thread of the tea bag through aslot at the bottom of the teabag squeezing and recycling device, whilesimultaneously holding the teabag squeezing and recycling device in acompressed state.

FIG. 11 illustrates locking the two contacting sides of the teabagsqueezing and recycling device using special slots located in the bottomof the teabag squeezing and recycling device in cuts located at an endof a contacting side.

FIG. 12 illustrates the teabag squeezing and recycling device in alocked form with the tea bag contained within the teabag squeezing andrecycling device.

FIG. 13 illustrates the teabag squeezing and recycling device in itsfinal form with a special cut-out shown in FIG. 1 and providing theteabag squeezing and recycling device with an individual design.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a general view of the device for teabag squeezing andrecycling in its original form and in static condition, where: 1—deviceslot; 2—creasing in place of device folding in half; 3—device bottom,4—creasing in the bottom made in place of folding; 5—legs; 6—slot at thebottom center; 7—protruding guide ways defining the direction of thesqueezed-out liquid; 8—optional slots for an individual design afterfolding the product in half during its use and (FIG. 2) an end view ofthe device for teabag squeezing and recycling in the longitudinal plane.

Initially, in its static condition the device has a rectangular shape,but it can have any other shape with prominent parts on both sides atthe request of the customer (FIG. 1). In the center of the device, orwith a shift to any of its sides in relation to its long sides, as wellas either on the right or on the left side, a slot is cut out, which ishalf the width of the device or less (1). The slot is randomly shaped.The left and right sides of the slot vary to ease the use for bothleft-handed and right-handed persons. Next, at the end of the slot andup to the end of the device, a creasing (2) is made rectilinearly inrelation to the slot, defining the direction for folding the device inhalf. Optional cut-outs (8) can be made from the beginning of thecreasing to either one or both sides at the discretion of the customer.They originate from the center of the creasing and can be directed ineither side in relation to the long sides of the device. Further, afterthe device is folded in half, the cut-out part remains unfolded, ascompared to other parts of the device. Thus, the cut-out part willextend beyond the top point of the device, providing it with anindividual design, as requested by the interested persons.

At both ends of the device, from both sides in relation to the longsides of the device, the so-called legs (5) and the device bottom (3)are placed—these are the cut-outs of a special size and randomgeometrical shape. The bottom is provided with a creasing (4) at thepoint of folding, and has a slot (6) at its center. This slot at bottomcenter is also randomly shaped and sized. It helps to hold and guide theteabag thread. All cuts are made in such a way, so that at the end ofthe cycle they (cuts) may be combined with the device bottom, forming aclosed triangular-shaped object with a used tea bag inside, firmly fixedby means of the legs to any surface, such as a table. Also, protrudingguide ways in both planes (7) are foreseen in close proximity to thelegs of the device to set the direction of fluid motion and minimize thedanger of its spilling. The guide ways may randomly shaped and sized,manufactured by any known method, using any known material. The profileplane of the device (FIG. 2) allows us a flat view of the device.However, liquid guide ways and creasings are protruding in bothdirections, which is explained by technical manufacturing requirements.

The device operates as follows:

After the tea bag has fulfilled its function and needs to be squeezedand recycled, the following steps are required:

For convenience, before the use of the device, it is recommended to foldit in both planes, in places specifically provided for folding, i.e.where creasings are located, with the exception of creasings formingprotuberances to guide the squeezed liquid. However, it should beemphasized that this action is optional.

These steps are illustrated in (FIG. 3) and (FIG. 4).

Then, holding a thread of a tea bag, place the device on top of the teabag so that the thread came through the slot in the device, and thebottom of the device (3) was either in close proximity or at a distanceof the user. It is, however, extremely undesirable that the bottom ofthe device was located to the right or to the left side of the user: thedevice will continue to operate, but the ease of its use can beseriously affected. Moreover, at the beginning of the operating cycle,the device can be turned to the tea bag by any of its planes.

These steps are illustrated in (FIG. 5).

Then, while holding the thread of a tea bag over a container (thecontainer is not shown in the figure), where the bag has been used,press the device against the tea bag from the top, so that the device issupported. Meanwhile the special cutout will push the bag towards thecenter of the device.

This action is illustrated in (FIG. 6).

Then, while pressing the device against the top of the tea bag andholding it with a thread (preferred option) or holding the device andpulling up the thread (less preferred option, since threads of teabagsof economy brands of tea are unreliable and break easily), as well asholding the device in place of its folding in half (creasing location)with your fingers, so that the bag remained between the two contactingsides of the device, i.e. inside.

This action is illustrated in (FIG. 7).

Then, as soon as the tea bag has been placed inside the device, whileholding the thread of a tea bag with fingers of one hand, press withgreater force on both halves of the device, squeezing them towards eachother and thereby removing liquid residues into the container, where thetea bag had been used (container is not shown in the figure). Shake offthe remnants of liquid on the legs of the device and, holding the devicewith the same hand you used to squeeze the tea bag, pick a thread of thetea bag with the other hand from either back or front side, depending onthe position of the user, and put it into a special slot, located at thecenter of the bottom.

This action is illustrated in (FIG. 8).

Then, pressing the thread that should be located in the slot of thedevice bottom, while at the same time holding the device in a compressedstate, direct the bottom with the help of the thread to special slots,combining and thus, locking them.

This action is illustrated in (FIG. 9).

Then, while holding the device in a compressed state, use your fingersto pull the thread and hold the bottom of the device on the top point ofthe lock. Then, without weakening the pressure on the device bottom,quickly relieve the pressure on the device itself in such a way, thatthe device sprang and straightened to the extreme points, limited by thebottom of the device and forming a closed object in the shape of atriangle. Having performed these actions, ease the pressure on thebottom of the device. The special shape of the slots and the bottom,holding the bag, cannot reopen. Then, the device is mounted on asurface, for example, on a table, using legs, and recycled with nodirect contact with the used tea bag. The cycle is complete.

This action is illustrated in (FIG. 10) and (FIG. 11).

(FIG. 12) displays the device in its final form.

(FIG. 13) displays the device in its final form with a special cut-out(8), shown in detail in (FIG. 1) and providing the device with anindividual design.

I claim:
 1. A teabag squeezer and recycler, characterized by a prolateform, such as rectangular, in its static condition. However, it may takeany other form and has a slot at its center (or slightly shifted fromthe center) against its long sides, as well as on the right or on theleft side—a slot half the width of the device (or less). The slot israndomly shaped, as a cone, for instance. The slot can be located onboth the left and the right side of the device. At the end of the slot(according to the device width), a creasing can be made rectilinearlyagainst the slot, defining the direction for further folding of thedevice in half (in two parts). The parts in their turn may notnecessarily be of the same length. Additionally, starting from thecreasing to either side or to both sides simultaneously, specialcut-outs can be made, originating from the creasing center and directedto any side against the long sides of the device. At both ends of thedevices, at each of its sides against the long sides, the legs and thedevice bottom are cut out. They are of the random size and geometricalshape, while the bottom can also be provided with a creasing at thepoint of its folding, made by any conventional method. Also, the bottommay have a slot in its center, or in any other place. The bottom slot,in its turn, is randomly shaped. All cut-outs are made in a way,ensuring that at the end of the operation cycle, they are combined withthe device bottom, forming a closed object of a triangular or any othershape with a used tea bag inside, standing on four feet (the number isoptional), or just lying on one of the flat sides of the surface, forexample, on a table. Also, in close proximity to the legs of the device,protruding guide ways are foreseen in both planes to help determine thedirection of liquid drainage and minimize the risk of spilling. Theguide ways may be randomly shaped and sized, made in any quantity, usingany conventional method.
 2. The device described in claim 1, ischaracterized by the presence of a cut-out on both left and right sidesof any shape and any size, which can be shifted in any direction inrelation to the long sides of the device.
 3. The device described inclaim 2, is characterized by the presence of a creasing, locatedimmediately after the cut and up to the end of the opposite side of thedevice, which is rectilinear to the cut-out and defines the direction ofthe folding.
 4. The device described in claim 3, represented by a flatplate of a random, mainly elongated shape.
 5. The device described inclaim 4, characterized by the fact that any of the planes can be used ina direct contact with a tea bag, since the device can bend freely to anyside, and in case of the protruding parts—allowing for theirinterconnection in the folded state.
 6. The device described in claim 5,characterized by the presence of legs, on which the device is standing,and the bottom, locking the device in a folded, closed position, as wellas keeping the bag inside the device.
 7. The device described in claim6, characterized by the fact that any of the sides or planes can be usedas an advertising or information medium of any content, or signs,applied by any conventional materials using any conventional methods. 8.The device described in claim 7, produced mainly of the paper or anyother suitable material, coated with laminating film, conventionallyused in food industry, or with any other substitute material or method.9. The device described in claim 8, produced mainly using the printingequipment or any other conventional methods, using any other suitableequipment.
 10. The device described in claim 9, characterized by thepresence of a creasing at any of the sides or at both sidessimultaneously, as well as cut-outs, originating from the center of acreasing directed to any side against the long sides of the device.Thus, the solution of an individual design of the device is given.